Botanical Studies Research Articles

Pharmacognostical and Phytochemical Analysis of Stems of Vitex pinnata Linn.

Background and Objective: Vitex pinnata Linn. (Syn: Vitex pubescens Vahl.) is a moderately sized tree of tropical Asia. Vitex pinnata is a tree with trifoliate leaves, grey to brown bark. The leaves and stems are potential as an antioxidant, because of flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenoids constituents. The present study aimed to establish the pharmacognostic features of leaf, stem and powdered stem material and quality parameters including physicochemical evaluation. Materials and Methods: The leave and stems were investigated, which comprised macroscopic and microscopic assessment, phytochemical screening and physicochemical characterization of the stems, besides the microscopic analysis of the powder. All photographs of different magnifications were taken using a digital camera attached to the Nikon Labphot 2 Microscopic Unit. Results: The microscopical studies of stem and powders of Vitex pinnata revealed the presence of cortex, periderm, sclerenchyma, secondary phloem, vessels, xylem fibres, xylem rays, collapsed phloem cells, phellem, sclereids, phloem ray, sieve element, starch grains, prismatic calcium oxalate crystals and vessel elements, etc. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, triterpenes and steroids in the crude extract. The values of the physicochemical parameters such as loss on drying 4.12%, foreign organic matter 5.60%, total Ash 09.43%, acid insoluble ash 2.34%, water-soluble Ash 3.04%, sulphated ash 3.20%, alcohol soluble extractives 15.6% and water-soluble extractives 16.8%, respectively. Conclusion: The information obtained with botanical, physicochemical and phytochemical studies could be used to identify Vitex pinnata and to certify the authenticity of commercial samples to effectively contribute to quality control of that vegetable raw material.

Creation of a Field Guide to Camas Prairie Plants with Undergraduates: Project-Based Learning Combined with Epistemological Decolonization

Remnant camas prairies and associated oak woodlands are the focus of contemporary Indigenous food sovereignty efforts in the Salish Sea (aka Puget Sound) region of western Washington. They are also the focus of research and restoration to conserve at-risk species of animals and plants protected under the United States Endangered Species Act. Currently there is little collaboration between tribes and restoration scientists. These conditions create an opportunity and ethical imperative for developing undergraduate curriculum that highlights the connections between biodiversity conservation and traditional Indigenous ecological knowledge. Patchy mosaic prairie-oak woodland vegetation visibly reflects the imprint of human activity, which includes past burning to foster native food plants including common camas (Camassia quamash) and Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana). Using a floristic research project focused on these cultural landscapes as a case study, this essay illustrates how interdisciplinary inquiry and service learning can enrich college-level plant taxonomy curriculum, while creating rich opportunities for students to link their botanical studies to a historically-grounded understanding of why the conservation challenges exist in the first place. Through this collaborative, multi-year research effort, students contribute to the production of needed resources useful to regional conservation efforts. Affiliated learning communities also consider what it might mean to decolonize botanical knowledge in the context of ecological restoration.

Botanical studies of the leaf of Pachypodium lamerei Drake, family Apocynaceae, cultivated in Egypt

Pachypodium lamerei Drake (family Apocynaceae) is native to Madagascar and is known as Madagascar palm. Reviewing the available literature, only one study could be traced concerning the microscopical features of P. namaquanum. The present study investigates various standardized parameters such as macroscopic and microscopic characters which could be helpful in authentication of the leaf of P. lamerei Drake.

Human Forms: The Novel in the Age of Evolution. Ian Duncan. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2019. Pp. xiii+290.

<i>Human Forms: The Novel in the Age of Evolution</i>. Ian Duncan. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2019. Pp. xiii+290.

Corrected and republished: comparative botanical and phytochemical studies of ambiguous medicinal plant species of wedelia and eclipta (fam. asteraceae) used in ASU systems of medicine with special reference to in-silico screening of hepatoprotective potential of marker wedelolactone with acetaminophen targets

Pharmacognosy Research,2021,13,1,54-67.DOI:10.4103/pr.pr_11_21Published:April 2021Type:Original ArticleAuthors:C. Arunachalam, R. Arunadevi, S. Murugamma, N. Monika, R. Susila, and K. N. Sunil Kumar Author(s) affiliations:C. Arunachalam, R. Arunadevi1, S. Murugammal2, N. Monika1, R. Susila3, K. N. Sunil Kumar4 Departments of Botany and 1Pharmacology, Captain Srinivasa Murthy Central Ayurveda Research Institute, (CCRAS, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, New Delhi), Anna Hospital Campus, Departments of 2Chemistry, 3Clinical Research and 4Pharmacognosy, Siddha Central Research Institute, (CCRS, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, Chennai), Anna Hospital Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, INDIA Abstract:Post the publication, as there were multiple corrections that were missed earlier, the article is being corrected and republished. Comparative Botanical and Phytochemical Studies of Ambiguous Medicinal Plant Species of Wedelia and Eclipta (Fam. Asteraceae) Used in ASU Systems of Medicine with Special Reference to in-silico Screening of Hepatoprotective Potential of Marker Wedelolactone with Acetaminophen Targets. Context: In traditional medicine, Kesaraja (Ayurveda) or Manjal karisali (Siddha) is effective for jaundice. Aim: Three species of Asteraceae need to be studied for their therapeutic superiority of their intended claim. They are Wedelia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr. Philipp J., Wedelia trilobata (L.) Hitchc. and Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. (Asteraceae). The present study aimed to screen and characterize the potential species for therapeutic purpose. Materials and Methods: The whole plants, W. chinensis (Osbeck) Merr. W. trilobata (L.) Hitchc. and E. prostrata (L.) (Asteraceae) were collected and botanically identified. Preliminary phytochemical analysis and high-performance thin-layer chromatography finger printing with marker wedelolactone were done for the ethanolic extracts of these plants. Botanical and pharmacognostical diagnostic characters of the plants based on macro-morphological, micro-morphological and powder microscopical characterization were worked out. Comparative in-vitro antioxidant potential of ethanolic extracts of these plant species was carried out. Using ADMET SAR software, the pharmacokinetics of wedelolactone were predicted. Using Autodock 4.2 software, the binding energy of wedelolactone on targets of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity namely PPAR-α, AMPK, JNK-1, EGFR, Nrf2, ALT, ALP, GGT, CAR, Frizzled receptor, FXR, ERK1, LXR, mitochondrial glutamate dehydrogenase, p53, mTOR C1, CYP1A2, CYP2E1, 5-lipoxygenase, thrombin, UCP1, GSK1, RXR and PXR was predicted. Results: All the three plant species were pharmacognostically and chemically different. W. chinensis was found to possess more antioxidant potential than the other two plants. The marker compound wedelolactone was not detected in W. trilobata. Wedelolactone passed the Lipinski's rule of five, and the docking analysis of wedelolactone confirmed high binding affinity toward PPAR-α, AMPK, Nrf2, CYP2E1, EGFR, JNK1, UCP-2, thrombin, 5-lipoxygenase, mTORC1, RXR, FXR, LXR, Frizzled receptor, GDH and Erk-1. Conclusion: Based on the above observations, we conclude that the presence of marker compound wedelolactone might have attributed the potency of W. chinensis and E. prostrata in counteracting acetaminophen toxicity when compared with W. trilobata. Keywords:Binding energy, botanical standardization, chromatographic fingerprinting, Docking, Hepatoprotective, in silico prediction, Lipinski's rule, Siddha, Therapeutic superiority, WedelolactoneView:PDF (6.36 MB)

An alarming public health concern over variability in herbal compositions of marketed immunity booster products during COVID-19: A botanical survey-based study

The world is going through pandemic of the century named COVID-19 disease. The COVID-19 pathogenesis involves cytokine storm in advanced stage leading to systemic hyper-inflammation. Medicinal herbs are practiced as part of alternative therapies in addition to clinically approved drugs with strong belief of its safety and efficacy. In present times, many herbal immunity booster products are available in market which claims to boost immunity for fighting against COVID-19 in prevention and cure. In this study, herbal products with tag of Immunity boosters were surveyed from medical stores and studied for their botanical contents. We surveyed 60 herbal products out of which 31% were tablets and rest were other forms like capsule, decoction and avaleha. Among the products, 17% products were from Dabur followed by Himalaya, Zandu and rest other leading brands of herbal market. Total 98 plants belonging to 50 diverse plant families like Zingiberaceae, Lamiaceae, Piperaceae and Apiaceae were reported being used in these products. Including Fruits (19%), Root (18%) and Leaf (17%), total 20 different plant parts were found used as medicinal herbs. These herbal products were having 10.27 ± 14.02 herbs with range of 56 indicates huge ingredient variation among the products. This diversity in products poses serious health concern in buyers who do not know the safety and efficacy of immunity boosters, being used in COVID-19 pandemic.

Russian Voyages and Geographical Discoveries in the 18th — 19th Centuries on the Far East

The exit of Russian people across the mainland of Asia to the western coast of the Pacific Ocean marked an outstanding feat of the Russian people in geographical discoveries in Siberia and the Far East. The process of colonization by Russian people of the territory of the Far East and Russian America has a number of features: on the one hand, there was an extraordinary speed of development, and on the other, its extreme unevenness. The solution of the Amur Question, the Sakhalin and Kuril problems put an end to the unknown in the border issue. These processes have become an impulse for active diplomatic activity. The study of the Far Eastern seas was developed. Ethnographic, geological, zoological, botanical and other studies gave a new variety of material for science. The study and development of the Far East and Russian America in the 18th — 19th centuries was of paramount importance for the economy of the region, for the development of industry, agriculture, fisheries and trade.

Erratum: comparative botanical and phytochemical studies of ambiguous medicinal plant species of Wedelia and Eclipta (fam. asteraceae) used in ASU systems of medicine with special reference to in-silico screening of hepatoprotective potential of marker wedelolactone with acetaminophen targets

Erratum: comparative botanical and phytochemical studies of ambiguous medicinal plant species of Wedelia and Eclipta (fam. asteraceae) used in ASU systems of medicine with special reference to in-silico screening of hepatoprotective potential of marker wedelolactone with acetaminophen targets

Adverse effects of medicinal plants used by cancer patients in Beni Mellal and the communication of this use

Moroccan cancer patients use traditional herbal medicine and no ethno botanical study has targeted them in the Béni Mellal Khénifra region. We had the objective to measure the frequency use of medicinal plants by cancer patients in the region of Béni Mellal Khénifra as well as the communication around this use and to inventory the plants used added to their adverse effects. We used an ethno botanical survey was conducted among 314 patients at the regional oncology center of Béni Mellal. The prevalence of use and the relative frequency of citation (RFC), the proportion of patients reporting this use and its adverse effects were measured. the prevalence of medicinal herbs use was 37.3% (n = 117). The citation relative frequency of plants ranged from 0.005 to 0.16. We found, also, 32 species belonging to 19 botanical families. Almost 90% (n = 102) of patients do not communicate this use and the most used plants are: Marrubium vulgare (16%), Ephedra alata (13%) and Juniperus oxycedrus (12%) Some plants seem toxic, in particular Juniperus oxycedrus used in a form of tar. The drug-plant interaction requires monitoring due to the lack of communication.

QuoVidi: An open-source web application for the organization of large-scale biological treasure hunts.

Learning biology, and in particular systematics, requires learning a substantial amount of specific vocabulary, both for botanical and zoological studies. While crucial, the precise identification of structures serving as evolutionary traits and systematic criteria is not per se a highly motivating task for students. Teaching this in a traditional teaching setting is quite challenging especially with a large crowd of students to be kept engaged. This is even more difficult if, as during the COVID‐19 crisis, students are not allowed to access laboratories for hands‐on observation on fresh specimens and sometimes restricted to short‐range movements outside their home. Here, we present QuoVidi, a new open‐source web platform for the organization of large‐scale treasure hunts. The platform works as follows: students, organized in teams, receive a list of quests that contain morphologic, ecologic, or systematic terms. They have to first understand the meaning of the quests, then go and find them in the environment. Once they find the organism corresponding to a quest, they upload a geotagged picture of their finding and submit this on the platform. The correctness of each submission is evaluated by the staff. During the COVID‐19 lockdown, previously validated pictures were also submitted for evaluation to students that were locked in low‐biodiversity areas. From a research perspective, the system enables the creation of large image databases by the students, similar to citizen science projects. Beside the enhanced motivation of students to learn the vocabulary and perform observations on self‐found specimens, this system allows instructors to remotely follow and assess the work performed by large numbers of students. The interface is freely available, open‐source and customizable. Unlike existing naturalist platforms, allows the educators to fully customize the quests of interest. This enables the creation of multiple teaching scenarios, without being bound to a fixed scope. QuoVidi can be used in other disciplines with adapted quests and we expect it to be of interest in many classroom settings.

The genus Senna (Fabaceae): A review on its traditional uses, botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology

Genus Senna belongs to the family of Fabaceae and comprises of about 250–300 accepted species extensively dispersed in tropical and subtropical regions. The Senna species is widely used in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, some Senna species are well-known for their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities with basis in traditional medicine to treat diabetes, microbial infections, malaria fever and other ailments. This review was extensively prepared by a comprehensive assessment of available literature via major scientific catalogues. The genus contains important metabolites such as alkaloids, anthraquinones, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, steroids, terpenoids, saponins and volatile oils. The crude extracts and isolated metabolites from Senna displayed a wide range of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities such as antidiabetic, anti-gonorrhea, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antipyretic, antinociceptive, antidepressant and anti-inflammatory functions displayed by the genus Senna. The objective of this review is to critically explore the advances in the botanical, phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological studies of the genus Senna, which will provide a useful bibliography for further investigations and applications in medicines. The review reveals that Senna species have been widely used for therapeutic purpose and substantial traditional evidence of their applications exist. Further studies should be tailored towards targeting active metabolites responsible for the pharmacological activities, structural elucidation and toxicological appraisals.

Updating of Makiling Biodiversity Information System (MakiBIS) and Analysis of Biodiversity Data

Abstract. Magcale-Macandog DB, Lapitan FRG, Laruya JM, Valerio JIF, Aguila JCD, Mesina CAL, Santos TMF, Cuevas ANT, Baylon KD, Silapan IM, Dimalobot R, Edrial JD, Larida NJA, Natuel FA, Perez MAGLD, Quinones SGL. 2021. Updating of Makiling Biodiversity Information System (MakiBIS) and Analysis of Biodiversity Data. Biodiversitas 22: 211-226. Mt. Makiling is a Philippine biodiversity hotspot listed as one of the 170 conservation priority areas established by the Philippine government. With the vast amount of ecological and biological information about the flora and fauna of Mt. Makiling, the Makiling Biodiversity Information System (MakiBIS) was developed to serve as a repository for these data. MakiBIS may serve as a prototype in the development of a national BIS that will be useful in addressing the need to set a national baseline, measurable targets, and indicators to facilitate the assessment of biodiversity status and as a basis for decision-making.The MakiBIS project started in 2011 and was last updated in 2014. In 2019, a new version of the information system was updated to take advantage of current web technologies in software development. The new MakiBIS’ (MakiBIS 2.0) frontend was written using ReactJS, while its backend functions were coded using NodeJS, and the database tables were compressed and optimized for faster queries. MakiBIS 2.0 was published online and can be accessed at www.makibis.com.The MakiBIS 2.0 database was populated with biodiversity information from published botanical and faunal survey studies conducted in Mt. Makiling. Biodiversity information includes taxonomic classification, botanical description, habitat, mode of reproduction, economic use, endemism, and conservation status. The MakiBIS database was analyzed for patterns, trends, distribution, and potential threats that will be useful towards the conservation and management of these biodiversity resources.

Embroidering the New Science

Abstract An unruly object of seventeenth-century experimental science is the metal needle, an instrument that begins Robert Hooke’s Micrographia (1665) but also was the essential tool used in women’s embroidery work. This article follows traces of the needle through the historical record and florilegia – a genre that bridged botanical and artistic studies – to argue that needlework provided a way of seeing that facilitated the development of empiricism. Using evidence from the works of Isabella Parasole, Elizabeth Isham, and Maria Sibylla Merian, I show how the needle surfaces in scenes of scientific illustration, thereby resituating natural histories and the scientific process of ordering minute organisms.

Estudos botânicos no Brasil nassoviano: o herbário de Marcgrave e suas contribuições para a difusão do conhecimento

Resumo: O presente artigo pretende revisitar o contexto histórico dos estudos botânicos, no período holandês, no século XVII, em Pernambuco, feitos especialmente por George Marcgrave, e a importância do herbário de sua autoria. Como procedimentos metodológicos, utilizou-se a pesquisa descritiva e documental, com coleta de dados a partir da documentação do acervo da Biblioteca do Instituto Ricardo Brennand, da coleção da Revista do Instituto Arqueológico e Histórico de Pernambuco, da Revista do Museu Paulista, da Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da Capes, do Google Acadêmico e do acervo da Academia Pernambucana de Ciência Agronômica. Os resultados levaram a refletir acerca da prática científica do botânico George Marcgrave, cujos estudos continuam importantes, com destaque para o herbário por ele organizado, pioneiro por se tratar da primeira coleção de objetos naturais com finalidade científica, bem como sua relevância para o ensino de ciências na atualidade. Palavras-chave: Estudos botânicos. Herbário. Ciência.

Plant Morphofunctional Response to Environmental Changes in Active Fault Zones of the Kurai Ridge (Gorny Altai)

Integrated geological, geophysical, geochemical, and botanical studies in the Kuraika River Valley (Kurai Ridge, Gorny Altai) have revealed sharp changes in the growth environment of blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea) at the conjunction zone of the regional Kubadra and local active faults. A high-gradient magnetic field is accompanied by the increased variability of the concentrations of radionuclides and macro- and micro-elements in soil, an increased mercury content in soil and surface air, and an increased γ-radiation exposure rate. Depending on combinations of geoenvironmental factors, the micropopulations of blue honeysuckle have produced increased or decreased fruit size and seed productivity. The observed tripling of accumulated biologically active phenol compounds in fruits, the simultaneous decrease in their concentration in leaves, and the reduction in the ratio between the content of some polyphenol classes in leaves and fruits are considered a response to the stressing impact of environmental factors associated with active tectonic processes in this area of Altai.

Botanical survey and leishmanicidal activity of grown-love

Grown-love (Portulaca pilosa L) is used in Amazon medicine for the treatment of diseases caused by bacteria, wound care. The objective of this work was to conduct a botanical survey of P. pilosa, as well as to evaluate its leishmanicidal activity. For the botanical studies techniques of epidermal decoupling and histological sections were used (by hand and microtome). The ethanol extract (EE) of aerial parts of P. pilosa was obtained by maceration, followed by concentration in evaporator route. The EE was fractionated by chromatographic column. The EE and fractions were analyzed in thin layer chromatography (TLC) and NMR. The leishmanicidal activity was evaluated against promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis, and promastigotes of L. chagasi, with prior cytotoxicity assessment in murine macrophages. In anatomical terms, P. pilosa presents leaf surface with adaxial epidermal cells and sinuous walls. In the phytochemical prospection of the extract, terpenes and phenols were detected, among others. The analysis of the NMR suggested the presence of terpenes. All samples were inactive against promastigotes and amastigotes of L. (L) amazonensis. The dichloromethane fraction was active against promastigotes of L. (L) chagasi. The EE, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol fractions showed no cytotoxicity to murine peritoneal macrophages (CC50&gt; 500 mg/mL). The dichloromethane fraction was promising for Leishmania, so futher studies may lead to the isolation of the active metabolite.

Distribution of adventive species Solidago canadensis, Phalacroloma annuum, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Heracleum sosnowskyi in phytocenoses of Volyn’ Polissya (Ukraine)

Biological pollution of natural phytocenoses by adventive plant species poses is a serious threat to endemic species and species with narrower ecological amplitude in ecosystems around the world. This study presents the results of a study of the composition and distribution of adventive plant species in natural, semi-natural and anthropogenic transformed phytocenoses of Volyn’ Polissya, Ukraine. To clarify the effect of drainage melioration on non-native flora species distribution, a botanical study was carried out during the 2003–2019 vegetation seasons on the territory of four drainage systems. The adventive flora of this unique region of Europe was studied in detail for the first time. In total, 279 non-native plant species were found. They belong to 110 genera and 32 families. The results of studying the systematic, bioecological, range-distributional and phytogenetic structure of adventive species found within agricultural lands and adjacent territories are presented. It was found that 161 species are associated with agricultural production. Of these, 90 species were found directly within the agricultural land, another 71 species were found growing in the adjacent territories. It was found that a significant increase in the number of adventive species on the territory of Volyn’ Polissya is associated with drainage melioration carried out in the 1960–1990s, significant changes in the structure and forms of agro-industrial production, and climatic changes in recent decades. The expansion of agricultural land in this area over the past 50–60 years has led to an increase in the number of adventive species by more than 60%. On the territory of drainage systems used for agricultural activities, more than 40% of the total species composition of the adventive flora of Volyn’ Polissya is represented. The majority of these species originate from arid and sub arid regions of the planet. The transformer plants, Solidago canadensis L. and Phalacroloma annuum (L.) Dumort pose a potential threat to phytocenoses of the described region, as well as the whole of Europe. Of particular interest are the species that in the future may pose a serious threat to natural phyto-diversity and have negative practical consequences for the structure of agricultural landscapes. These are Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden. In general, modern agro ecosystems are characterized by instability and low ability to resist non-native species. The strongly weedy character of cultivated fields and the presence of abandoned uncultivated lands have caused the rapid spread of adventive vegetation. In order to further optimize the structure of agrolandscapes, it is advisable to monitor and regulate not only expansionary invasive species, which is especially important for preventing biological pollution, but also species whose status has not yet been determined.

Comparative Botanical and Genetic Diversity Study of Different Cultivars of Sesamum indicum L. Cultivated in Egypt

Comparative Botanical and Genetic Diversity Study of Different Cultivars of Sesamum indicum L. Cultivated in Egypt

Determination of botanical composition of Çamlıhemşin-Trovit plateau

Botanical and floristic composition studies are carried out in order to have information about the vegetation of the pastures. In this study, canopy covering and botanical composition ratios and pasture condition class were examined. Botanical composition measurements were made in Trovit plateau of Çamlıhemşin district of Rize province. Botanical composition study was determined by using Lup method which is used in vegetation measurements. In the lup measurements, 5 main lines and 10 lines on the each main line were determined. As a result of the study; 4 Poaceae, 2 Fabaceae and 32 taxon from other families were identified. The rate canopy covering of the research area was 79.15%, the rate of Poaceae in the botanical composition was 21.24%, the rate of the Fabaceae 13.66% and rate of the other families 65.10%. The pasture condition was found to be weak with 2.365 pasture degree. It was concluded that especially controlled grazing and top-seeding, were applied together other methods of breeding.

F. A. Höfft’s Caucasian Herbarium

The history of the botanical studies by F.A. Hofft in the northern Caucasus, as well as the location and size of storage of his herbarium collections and the means of their obtainment in different herbaria of Russia and Europe are outlined. It is established that the herbarium of F.A. Hofft, which is estimated at 7000–8000 samples (including the Caucasian section of 1800–2100 samples) is the most valuable botanical collection of the mid-19th century. Its value is underestimated by modern researchers, because the main researchers of the flora of the Caucasus had left Yuriev University by the beginning of the First World War, and a quarter of the herbarium collection was evacuated to the inner regions of Russia and returned to Tartu only in the mid-1950s. The publication of Materials for the Flora of the Caucasus should be resumed in order to return F.A. Hofft’s Caucasian herbarium to scientific circulation.